Remi Garde will watch Aston Villa at Tottenham ahead of his expected appointment.

Press Association Sport understands the 49-year-old could take over at Villa on Monday, with the club bottom of the Barclays Premier League.

He will watch Villa at White Hart Lane on Monday evening even if his role has not been rubber-stamped by the club before kick-off.

Villa targeted Garde to replace Tim Sherwood after they sacked the former Tottenham boss in October, just eight months into a three-and-a-half-year deal.

Caretaker boss Kevin MacDonald will still take the side for their game against Spurs, with Garde's first match in charge set to be Sunday's visit of leaders Manchester City.

Garde left Lyon in 2014 after three years for personal reasons and held talks with Newcastle earlier this year.

He won the title with Arsenal in 1998 and Gunners boss Arsene Wenger confirmed last week Villa's chief executive Tom Fox – who previously worked at Arsenal – had been in touch to sound him out about his former player.

The ex-France international will become Villa's fifth manager in five years as they battle relegation again.

Sherwood lasted just 28 games and was axed, despite guiding them to safety last season, with the club winless since the opening day of the season.

Ray Wilkins, Mark Robson and Seamus Brady also left Villa with Sherwood as part of a coaching clear out and Garde wanted to bring Bruno Genesio and Gerald Baticle, who he worked with at Lyon, with him.

The French club's president Jean-Michel Aulas said they were going nowhere however and Bastia assistant Reginald Ray has been linked with Villa.